Improvement in railroad-car springs



W. TOSHACH.

Car Spring N0 7 27.

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itnesse Patented Aug. 30, 1864.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

YVILLIAM TOSHACH,

OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

IMPROVEMENT IN RAILROAD-CAR SPRINGS.

To all whom it may conce n:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM TOSIIAOH, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Gar-Spring; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is an end view of my improved railroad-car spring; Fig. 2, a side elevation thereof; Fig.3, a vertical section in the line a0 at, Fig. 1; Fig. 4, a vertical section in the line y 3 Fig. 2, showing clearly the arrangement of the spring-plates and the mode of securing the same; Fig. 5, a similar section in the line 1 g of Fig. 2, showing the spring under pressure; and Fig. 6, a top view of the upper division of the plate which secures the springplates in position.

Similar letters indicate like parts in each of the drawings.

The main feature of my improvement consists in supporting the load to be carried on the vibrating ends of elastic plates or bars whose opposite extremities are held fast by some suitable device, the plates being so arranged as to cross each other and thus bend in opposite directions. This arrangement an d combination of the elastic plates or bars constitutes the chief novelty of the spring, which from its peculiar construction can be made more cheaply than others possessing the same resilient power.

In the accompanying drawings, A represents the cap or top plate of the spring, upon which the load is placed; B and C, the upper and lower portions of the case, which hold and support the spring-plates, and a a a a the spring-plates themselves, whose free ends are clearly seen supporting the top plate, A.

The divisions B and C of the case each consist of end pieces, 0 c and d d, with crossbars e e at right angles thereto, as seen in the top view of the upper division, B, Fig. 6. Each crossbar e and e is formed or cast in one piece with its ends 0 c or d cl. The two divisions B and (l fit accurately one upon the other. Recesses, however, are cut in the opposite faces of the cross-bars e and e, so that when fitted one upon the other a horizontal rectangular slot is thereby left, or rather form ed, between them, as illustrated in Fig. 3. 1

The elastic leaves or plates (1 a a a, Figs. 4 and 5, of my improved spring are so shaped as that when clamped at one end between the cross-bars e and e of the divisions B and O of the case the remaining ends will be bent or curved back over the upper bar.

In order to give an even support to the bearing-cap A of the spring I secure an equal number of the springplates upon each side of the clamping-bars e 0, so that their free ends, bending back over the same from opposite directions, will cross and counterbalance each other, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5. The lower ends of the elastic leaves or plates are confined by being cramped into the slot between the cross-bars e and 0, these cross-bars being drawn together by the bolts jj and nuts k Ir, as illustrated in Fig. 3. The width of the slot, Fig. 3, is somewhat less than the united thicknesses of the confined ends of the elastic plates. Its length, Fig. 3, is also proportioned to the number and width of these plates, so that they fit closely therein. The pressure of the load to be carried by the spring-plates is communicated thereto by rods S S, Figs. 3, 4, and 5, which rest upon the ends of said plates in a direction parallel to that of the clampingbars 6 e. The extremities of these rods pass through guiding standards h h h h, which project upwardly from the end pieces, 00, of the case. These standards embrace also parallel cleats m m, Figs. 4 and 5, secured to the under side of the bearing cap or plate A, and which bear directly upon the friction-rods S S, and the outer standards pass up between the cleats m m and the outer sides, 0 o, of the cap, as is clearly shown in Figs. 4 and 5. The friction-bars S S, although advantageous, are not essential, as the cleats might be left to bear directly upon the springs. The number of the elastic leaves or spring-plates a a a a may of course be varied at pleasure. By diminishing or increasing their length the degree of elasticity is controlled. So also any convenient mode of confining them may be substituted for the mode herein illustrated of confining them between clampingjaws.

It is evident that by rounding 011' the upper side of the superior clamping-bar, e, a rest or support is afforded to the spring-plates curv ing over it, which will change and increase according to the amount of pressure exerted upon the plates. The springs are thereby eased and protected when brought down by a sudden jolt or an unusual weight.

I propose to substitute in certain cases the arrangement of bearing or pressure plate illustrated in Fig. 7 in the place of the cap A of Fig. 1. In this case the free ends of the springs are looped around the bars S S, and the under side of the cap R is fitted With recesses 20 w, which embrace those portions of the rod not clasped by the spring-plates. The recesses are so enlarged as to allow the neces sary horizontal movement of the ends of the spring as they spread under pressure.

I contemplate the use of any form of spring bars or plates, whether round, flat, grooved, fluted, corrugated, or made to taper in br. adth or thickness, or both, and I also design to insert india-rubber, felt, leather, or other elastic, gummy, or fibrous material between the superi-nposed leaves forming the spring, in order to protect the same and increase their durability.

Having thus fully described my improved invention in all its details, what I claim therein as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A spring for railroadcars or other vehicles, formed of two or more elastic bars, plates, or series of plates, which are rigidly confined at one end, when the vibrating extremities of any two of the same extend toward and cross each other, furnishing an even bearing for the load, substantially in the manner hcreinbefore set forth.

2. When two or more elastic spring-bars, plates, or series of plates, are rigidly confined at one end only, and so arranged as that their "ibrating ends shall extend toward and cross each other, substantially as herein described,

combining therewith a relieving block or bar, e, of any suitable material, either elastic or or non-elastic, placed centrally between the said elastic spring-plates and so shaped as to gradually ease the same while bending under pressure, all substantially as herein set forth.

VVILLM TOSHACH.

In the presence of- A. L. BUTLER, A. I. MUNDY. 

